Playing With The Boys
by alaarakk
Summary: Two mischevious helicopter pilots land on Maverick and Lee's doorstep bringing fun and adventure until things go wrong. Someone's trying to kill the girls. Thier CO wants to sell them to the Iraqi's. Will my favourite two be able to save them from fate?
1. Chapter 1

**Playing With The Boys**

I was grateful for the darkness concealing me but not so grateful for the cold blustery wind that whipped about. I shivered a bit and pulled the light weight jacket closer around me, rubbing my bare legs to warm them up. '_Dammed California! It was supposed to be warm here. Huh! It felt colder than my hometown of Murphys, high in the Sierra's_.'

The fully operational naval air base was actually quiet and peaceful that night. Mind you it was Saturday night. Come Saturday night, the base closed down, residential streets were quiet and most BOQ's were deserted. It was the one night where the personnel that lived on base usually went out and got drunk and I guessed that was where the friend I was waiting on was at.

It didn't matter which base you were on, all Officer's Clubs closed at one am or oh one hundred as us military types preferred. According to my watch I had another fifteen minutes to go.

Of course it'd still be another fifteen minutes to half an hour before he showed as there were the standard goodnight's to friends and drinking partners called. Women kissed good night with the promise of a call the next day, if you had morals and then the stagger haphazardly home at a pace slower than a snail.

'_Half an hour to go. Half an hour to go,_' I chanted to myself. Hopefully he'd find me way before base security did. Of course, at that thought an MP's car turned the corner and cruised slowly down the roadway, sweeping a powerful spotlight across the darkened houses.

'_Shit!_' I pressed back deeper into the dark shadow cast by the nearby shrubbery I was sitting nearby, strategically chosen for exactly that purpose. Now they had to know someone unauthorized was on base or they wouldn't be patroling. '_Shit! Shit! Shit! Maybe paying that kid to distract the guards and sneaking on wasn't such a good idea._'

Of course I wasn't actually on the base illegally or anything, far from it. I was military personnel too and I had my pass and ID but it was the challenge of sneaking through and seeing if I could get away with it. So far, so good except for my old friend who wasn't home. I thought about picking the lock and getting into the house but I knew that was dangerous. Maverick's new flight partner didn't know me and would only call the MP's anyway. '_God! A girl seriously couldn't have any fun these days._'

There was a round of laughter and some exuberant calls good night echoing through the night but I couldn't see who it was. Two minutes later shapes appeared accompanied by the tread of heavily booted feet and some click-clacky heels.

They appeared out of the dark like some sort of apparaition, my long lost friend and what was obviously his pick of the ladies for the night, make that one giggling girl from bimbo land.

'_Honestly how does he always manage to pick up the dumb one's?' _I asked myself as I waited for him to either notice me or fall over me. One had to happen sooner or later.

"A house? You've got a house?" The girl giggled.

"I do," her companion responded and I was relieved to hear it was my friend, Maverick.

"What rank are you again?" The girl asked.

"I'm a Captain."

"Captain of what?"

"More than you'll ever know," He flirted with her lightly.

"Well then you'll just have to show me, now won't you?" She turned towards him effectively cutting off his path to the front door.

I watched in amusement as the girl walked her dainty fingernails up the front of his shirt before snaking her arms around his neck, his own arms encircling her waist and pulling her in close for a kiss. As the kiss grew hot and heavy, my old friend's hands roamed up underneath the girl's top, both breathing hot hard when they broke apart.

"Let's move inside shall we?" Maverick whispered nuzzling into her neck as she hung her head back welcoming his touch.

"Please do or I might have to pay for the peep show," I muttered from my spot in the dark.

Maverick let the girl go and turned around, his eyes still partially glazed with lust. "Who's there?"

I giggled, thinking of an old trick we used to play on unwelcome suitors. "It's your long lost girlfriend back from visiting her poor sick mother."

"Girlfriend?!" The girl shrieked and turned big eyes towards Maverick. "You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend!"


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm not," Maverick stated firmly. "Very funny Ashley."

I stood up and emerged from behind the shrubbery as they came up onto the front porch. Wrapping my arms around his neck I gave him a lethal passionate kiss, "Mmmmmmm Honey have I missed you."

Maverick gripped my wrists, pulled them from around his neck and shoved me away to a respectable distance.

"Maria I'm sorry this is a friend," And he heavily emphasized the word friend, "of mine-"

"Friend now? Ohhh you do like to play your games don't you? But that's okay because we both know how exciting that can be." I took a step towards him.

"Maverick I think I'd better go, I'm not into stealing othes girls men." Maria turned and walked off into the night.

"Maria! She's a friend not my girlfriend! Maria!" Maverick called, his voice loaded with frustration.

"Bye Maria, have a good night!" I called out sweetly to her departing back. "Now where were we?" I murmured loud enough for her to hear and seductive enough for Maverick to roll his eyes.

"Thanks Ashley! Thanks a lot! I've been on ship for seven months, this is my first weekend off and you had to show up." Maverick was obviously mad.

"Sorry," I sang in a fake voice.

"No you're not so save it!" He snapped at me pulling his keys out of his pocket.

"Okay, I won't say another word."

"Good!" The front door swung open and he snapped on some lights. He stood there looking at me for a minute or two. "I suppose you want to come in?"

"Yes please." I shouldered my duffle bag and walked past him into the nicely appointed house that had obviously been decorated true bachelor style. "This is nice."

He took his time answering me and I turned to see him staring forlornly out the screen door obviously watching Maria disappear taking his idea of a good night with her.

I couldn't resist a small giggle at the havoc I'd already wreaked.

"Yeah," Was all he said as he shut the front door. "I suppose you want coffee and a bed to sleep in?"

"If you've got them otherwise I'll doss down on the couch." I sank down onto the comfy black leather lounge and sank deep into its cushions. "Ohhh very nice obviously not bought for the purpose of watching TV."

"You can have my partner's room. He's in Australia at the moment and won't be back for a couple of days."

"You sure that's wise? We both know what happened between me and your last partner."

"Trust me Ashley, this guy will only turn around and use you a hell of a lot more than you will him. He's pretty immune to femmine wiles unless he's calling the shots."

"A playboy and a flyboy, now how exciting is that?"

Maverick shook his head and walked into the ample kitchen to make us coffee. "Upstairs, first door on the left," He called out to me.

"Thanks Mav."

Once upstairs I found the room and was impressed. Neat, tidy, masculine without being offensive, elegant was most likely the best word for it. Painted in a deep shade of blue and highlighted by soft wall lighting, it was warm and inviting.

There was a king size bed and two bedside tables, the only other piece of furniture being a desk with a couple of shelves above loaded with navigational texts and guides. A photo stood on his desk of an older man and lady, two boys and a girl. The boy and girl shared the same dark hair, and eyes as their mother but the other boy clearly resembled his father. Family photo obviously, I shrugged and put it back in its place.

Another photo sat on the bedside table next to the alarm clock and I picked it up. A gorgeous man of about eighteen stared back dressed in a tuxedo holding a pretty blonde girl in a satin evening gown. They looked into each others eyes and I got the feeling that anyone looking at the photo was intruding on something very special. Obviously a high school sweetheart and I put the photo back shrugging. I had to admit the guy looked pretty hot.

A quick glance into the wardrobe confirmed navy officer with uniforms, jackets and T-Shirts folded neatly and to strict regulations. Hat's stashed appropriately and the piece-de-la-resistance, the ceremonial sword, hanging on the door. Jeans ironed and perfectly starched, casual shirts hanging neatly in a row. All plain solid colours, nothing pale or pastel about this man.

"Ashley get out of my partner's cupboards!" Maverick yelled from downstairs.

'_Bugger! The guy knows me too well,_' I muttered leaving the room and walking back downstairs.

"Relax Maverick; he hasn't got much to look at anyway." I joined him in the kitchen and accepted the hot cup of coffee on offer. "Don't you guys have any other pictures other than F14's?"

The walls of the room where I was staying was littered with framed pictures of the F14 and as I passed the hallway, stairs and other walls there were more.

"Nope."

"Boring." I rolled my eyes.

"Ashley why are you here?" Maverick asked looking at me closely.

I sighed knowing I wouldn't be able to lie. I'd done that once before and the repercussions just weren't worth it.

"Honestly?"

"Of course," Maverick glared at me. I guessed he was still sore over loosing his girl for the night.

"I've been stationed here. I suppose you've heard about The Nightstalker contingent being moved here?"

"I have." He sipped his coffee.

"Well I'm one of their pilots and so I came too. When I heard they were moving from Fort Campbell to Miramar I just had to come see you."

"No kidding."

"You're mad at me aren't you?"

"No I'm not mad; I just don't like you a whole lot right now."

"Would it help if I said I was sorry?"

"Nope."

"And why not?"

"Because you never are."

"Oh Adam, Adam, Adam you are so-so-"

"What?" He snapped as he rinsed his now empty coffee cup out and set it on the sink.

I shrugged, "I don't know, ummm, normal I guess or boring take your pick. But that's okay I'll make it up to you."

"And just how do you propose on doing that?"

"Find you another girl of course. My own partner's joining me shortly when she gets back from a mission and let me tell you, you're going to love her."

"You mean to say I've got to put up with two of you in this house?"

"Yeah." My tone wasn't quite pleading but my eyes almost begged.

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"One, we don't have the room. Two, my partner lives here and I have to consult with him first and three, last time I shared a place with you all I did was bail you out of jail. So the answer's no. You can stay a couple of days while you find somewhere else.

"Oh come on Mav, I've changed. I've grown up, sort of."

Maverick shook his head, "Sort of is right. I'm still looking for the improvements."

"Adam, Adam, Adam-"

"Stop Adaming me."

"Fine, Maverick, Maverick, Maverick-"

"And that isn't going to cut it either."

"Fine! Whatever! I have changed, truly, and I promise not to call you when I get into a spot of bother okay?"

"You're still not staying Ashley and that's my final word on it so don't ask. Now I'm tired and going to bed, alone!" He emphasized the word 'alone' much to my grin of amusement.

"Well that's obvious, Maria left."

"Don't be a smart ass; I'm not in the mood. Two days Ashley and that's it!" He yelled as he walked upstairs.

"Yes Sir!"

I didn't get any answer unless the click of a bedroom door closing was an answer. Fancy having a huge two storey house with only two bedrooms. That didn't make a whole lot of sense to me but I'd explore the fact in the matter tomorrow. Right now I needed sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning I was awake early and went for a run around the base with all the other fitness freaks. The morning air was cool and refreshing. It also gave me a good chance to have a look around my new home.

Maverick was still asleep when I got back, so I had a quick shower and made myself some toast before hunting down the phone. I dialed the memorized number and requested my department.

"Hey Fingers, its Kaz."

"Kaz! What's the new base like?"

"Not bad. Full of navy pussies but nothing I can't handle."

Fingers laughed on the other end, "Question is can they handle you?"

"If they can I need a new job, is Top on board yet?"

"Yeah finishing up a stint in TOC, want me to put you through?"

TOC was short for Tactical Operations Command and it was the hub of all our missions.

"Yeah thanks."

"Kaz what's up?" My CO's smooth voice came on the line within seconds.

"Hey Top, just wanted to find out if there was any word on Angel?"

"Nothing specifi-"

The line went dead and I looked up into the annoyed blue-eyed gaze of Maverick.

"No three thousand dollar phone bills either while you're here." He took the dead receiver out of my fingers and hung it up. "I'm serious Ashley!"

Last time I had stayed with him I had been seeing a guy in Washington and I used to ring him all the time. Trouble was it was a cross country call and I'd be on the phone pretty much all day and night. My ears still rang from his yelling after he'd gotten the phone bill and tracked me down.

"Maverick I was just reporting in to my CO and trying to get information on my friend. She's been lost on a mission for the past three days and they're still trying to locate her."

"If she's anything like you, I'm sure the enemy will happily hand her over."

I followed him into the kitchen. "You seriously don't like me do you?"

"Ashley it's not that I don't like you, I just know that where you go trouble follows and you always manage to wriggle out of it and leave me to clean up the mess."

"I promise to be as good as gold the whole time I'm here besides, I did have the best teacher." I looked straight at him. Maverick hadn't always been this up tight.

There was a wild streak to him but right then, it was missing.

"Promise?"

"Promise, cross my heart and hope to die." I proudly puffed out my chest as I did the cross motion.

"Alright and no scaring anymore of my ladies away either. I have exactly three days of my leave left and I do plan on getting laid sometime during them."

"Okay, I promise. You let me know when and I'll even go out for you, how's that?"

"Better."

"Good now can I please ring my CO back?"

"Go on but ten minutes or you're out of here understood?"

"Yes Maverick, thank you Maverick." I kissed him on the cheek but it had no effect so I gave up and went to ring my CO once again.

***

"So how are you Maverick?" I asked sliding onto the same stool in the kitchen I had used the night before. It was precisely ten minutes later and my phone call was over. Even I was impressed, I was never one for being that good.

Maverick yawned and ran his hands down over his face tiredly. Obviously he hadn't gotten a whole lot of sleep last night.

"I'm not bad considering-"

"Considering I'm here right?"

"Right."

"Geez if I had have known you were going to be so friendly I wouldn't have come."

"You should have trusted your instincts."

"Adam, I haven't come here to make trouble for you, I came because I needed a place to stay until the rest of my contingent arrives. If you seriously hate me that much, I will go."

Maverick looked a little bit guilty for a moment or two, "No it's okay Ashley, you're more than welcome to stay but no tricks and no trouble okay?"

"Okay, now how are my six future husbands doing?"

Maverick grinned at my reference to his six brothers. "They're doing well, Guthrie's off to high school next year."

"Wow! Where has the time gone? I can still remember your Mum bringing him home. Any of the others married yet?"

"Nope, I don't think they have time to date anyone, even Brian's settled down a bit now that he and Crane are running the property. We had a good year last year and I believe we're almost debt free."

"That's great! I haven't heard from my family but you know the story." I shrugged. I got the impression when I left home and moved in with Adam and his brothers they stopped acknowledging me as their own. It wouldn't have surprised me in the slightest if they did, they never liked Adam and blamed him for a lot of things I did in my younger years. Adam of course was totally innocent and I was rebellious all of my own doing. In fact Adam was actually the good guy and was forever fishing me out of trouble, looking after me and making sure I was alright but that stopped when we joined the forces.

He went into the Navy to fly jets and I joined the Marine's to fly helos or helicopters. After my first tour was up I was recruited by the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Air Regiment) and became a Nightstalker. We were responsible for getting teams of Special Operators in and out of what we called hot zones or war zones. We flew fast and low and our nerves were made of steel which didn't help matters.

Adam and I had grown up together and had been friends since Kindergarten. We had gotten lost together, broken bone's together, gone hunting together, fishing, skateboarding, leant to ride a horse, got drunk together and shared our first kiss together. There wasn't much in my life that I had not achieved without Adam beside me encouraging me all the way. I did the same for him and our friendship had lasted. It was only when we joined the Forces that our paths separated but I still kept in touch.

"Brian mentioned them the other day and he was saying they were talking about selling out and moving closer to town."

"They would. Is my sister married or is she still trying to hook Crane?"

Adam smiled at the memory of my younger sister who was the total opposite to me. "She's still chasing Crane and making some headway. Been out on a couple of dates and all."

"Yeah? Wow! Good on Miss Goody-goody-two shoes."

"So unlike her older sister huh?"

"You've got that right. So what are you planning to do with all this time off?"

"Well shortly before I went out on my last tour, my partner and I bought an old bi-plane."

"Yeah?" My eyes lit up with interest. One thing I loved was tinkering with engines which came from years of hanging around my father's mechanical workshop. It was also a reason why I knew how to break into cars and hot wire them, not an admirable skill but a useful one.

Maverick couldn't resist a smile, he was well aware of my passions. "Yeah, it's stationed out at a small airfield outside Angel's Creek about a half hour drive away."

"Can we go check it out?"

"Don't see why not but I'm driving."

"No way!"

"Yes way. Every time you drive my car you smash it and I have to get a new one."

"Have you still got the blue jeep?"

"I have and I like it."

"Oh well, in that case it's definitely time for me to drive and for you to start looking for a new one."

"No its not, now go get changed."

"If I find the keys can I drive it?"

"Like to see you try," He challenged cheekily and I grinned. That was the Maverick of old that I knew and loved.


	4. Chapter 4

"Whoa! Who owns the snazzy convertible?" I asked when I saw the dark charcoal grey car sitting next to Maverick's blue jeep wrangler in the garage.

"My partners, don't touch," He warned.

I didn't say anything as I ran my fingers over the smooth paintwork, coated in a thin layer of dust. I peered in the windows at the leather interior and chrome fixtures letting out a low whistle. "He's got money hasn't he? I don't know of any pilots who could afford this on their salary."

"Yes he does but he doesn't flaunt it."

"Ah so that's how come you two are friends. Very nice and I bet she goes too?"

"She does and you're not to touch."

I still didn't say anything as I continued my walk around the car, a sly impressed smile playing on my lips.

"Ashley?" Maverick warned in a stern voice.

"What?"

"Promise me you won't attempt to drive it or take it out of this garage?"

"Alright, alright I promise."

"Good now get in."

I climbed in the jeep, my eyes still fixed on the convertible. I mightn't be allowed to drive it but there was no law that said I couldn't sit in it and dream. Maverick hadn't said that I couldn't start it up; he just said that I wasn't to tempt to drive it or take it out of the garage. Man I couldn't wait to slide into that leather interior and feel her raw power.

For the rest of the day Maverick and I tinkered with the little bi-plane. Its engine was seized and needed stripping down and re-building so we got to work. It was nice and kind of like old times when we'd be tinkering with the tractors and things on his farm in our younger days.

By the end of the day we were tired, filthy and hungry but happy with the small amount of progress we'd made. That night both of us were in bed before eight.

***

I sat inside the charcoal convertible inhaling deeply the smell of leather all around me. The engine roaring throatily as I pressed the gas pedal a couple of times. No doubt about it, the vehicle had untapped sources of power and what I wouldn't have given to be the one to coax it out of her. Still I had made Maverick a promise and I was good on my promises so I had to settle for sitting inside dreaming. And dreaming I did, with the hum of the engine filling the space around me. I had of course left the garage door up so I wouldn't gas myself.

Closing my eyes, I leaned back into the leather seat letting the vibrations of the quietly powerful engine wash over me and dreaming of cruising down the highway, top down and wind in my hair.

After half an hour I shut her off and climbed out wishing her a good night and went inside. Maverick was out that night trying to get lucky as he had originally intended so I wandered around the house a bit at a loss as to what to do. Eventually I settled on the comfortable and also expensive leather lounge, put a movie on that I'd found and settled in to watch.

I had no idea what the time was when the phone rang jerking me awake. Blindly I reached out and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Hello," A smooth sexy voice answered me. "Have I got the right number?"

"I don't know, have you?" I teased the deep voice on the other end of the phone.

I listened to his chuckle of delight. "Well now that all depends on who you are?"

"Well I know who I am but who are you?"

"I'm the voice on the other end of the phone," he quipped making me laugh.

"No kidding, so what are you doing ringing me in the middle of the night?"

"What are you doing answering the phone in my house?"

"How do you know it's your house?"

"I don't and you still haven't told me your name?"

"You haven't told me yours either."

"Well I guess that makes us even then. Is Maverick there?"

"Nope I kicked him out, he was annoying."

The voice really laughed then and I was surprised at how pleasant the sound was. "Poor Mav, any idea when he'll be back?"

"Hopefully never."

"Well when he does happen to come home tell him I'll be home tomorrow."

"Okay Mr. Whoever-you-are."

The guy laughed again. "Goodnight Mrs. What's-her-name."

I no sooner hung up the phone and my pager went off with instructions to call a number. I knew the number off by heart but checked it just in case it had changed.

Sighing I picked the phone up once again and dialed, listening to the instructions and committing them to memory.

Ten minutes later I crossed the tarmac to the helo and powered up the APU while I ran pre-flight checks. I was tired but I didn't care, I was about to go flying and there was nothing more that I didn't love.


	5. Chapter 5

Lee was tired. It was two in the afternoon and he had been traveling close to a full twenty-four hours. He hated being a passenger on a commercial jet and fidgeted like crazy the whole time. He'd tried sleeping but it was near impossible, not with the two kids beside him fighting the whole nine hours of the flight. Lee normally loved kids and had a pretty high tolerance of them but these two seriously tried his patience. The mother wasn't much help either. She had slept the entire time across the aisle, only waking when one of them needed to go to the toilet.

The flight had been delayed leaving Sydney and entered a two hour holding pattern at LA; it was eleven that morning when they finally touched down. They should have landed at nine instead. Another hour in customs only to find all connecting flights to San Diego were full. The only one available was at eight that night. He didn't fancy hanging around the airport until eight that night so he hired a car instead and drove the two hours.

Heaving a sigh of relief he unlocked the front door of his house and walked in, dumping his bag in the tiled front entryway. Everything looked the same including the empty can of coke and half-eaten abandoned packet of chips on the coffee table. Lee shook his head, his partner was never going to learn but right now he didn't care.

He made his way upstairs and into the bathroom for a warm refreshing shower. Feeling marginally better he went downstairs and retrieved his cell phone so he could let his partner know he was home. He found his mobile easily enough and made the call walking back upstairs. Mav's phone switched over to voicemail and as Lee left a message he stopped dead in his bedroom doorway.

I lay sprawled across his bed. My vibrant auburn hair highlighted by the tan coloured sheets he was fond of. Lee's eyes roamed in pleasure from the top of my head, down, what he called, a slender, curvy body and along my perfectly proportioned legs. I wore nothing but a black pair of lace undies and a black lace camisole top and he liked what he saw. The veiw got a lot more interesteing when I rolled over and stretched lazily before falling back asleep again, long slender arms raised above my head.

'_Mmmmmmmmm hhhhhhhh now that is a sight worth coming home too,'_ Lee thought to himself as he watched me slowly wake up. _'I must thank Maverick for the welcome home present.'_

I stretched again, marveling at how comfortable the bed was and how nice silk sheets felt against bare skin. I wasn't in a hurry to get up but knew I'd have to eventually. The previous night's mission had been long and taken a lot out of me but I didn't mind. My nose was itchy and I scratched it before giving a final stretch and opening my eyes. Half past two. Perfect. Time for a shower, bite to eat and then I was going to take one of those motorbikes out for a run or sit in the convertible and listen to the engine again. I wasn't sure which yet but I'd make up my mind in the shower.

I sat up and stopped. Lounging in the doorway was a handsome well built man with nothing but a towel wrapped around his tapered hips. He looked fresh from a shower and that didn't help matters.

"Good morning," The guy spoke.

"Afternoon actually but that's okay I won't tell anyone," I winked at him and got up off the bed.

"And you are?" He asked me, watching with great interest.

"Mrs. What's-Her-Name," I replied walking past him and trailing a fingernail across his broad bare chest. "By the way your bed's comfortable."

"It's even better when there are two people in it." His arm quickly snaked out catching me by the lace of my camisole and pulling me back towards him. "Care to join me?"

"Can I have a shower first? I'm all hot and sticky."

"Have one afterwards, I'll guarantee you'll be even hotter and stickier then."

"Hmmmmm, now that is a very tempting offer, Mr. Whoever-You-Are." I slowly walked a fingernail up the front of his bare chest and stepped even closer to him. I could smell his freshness from his shower and had to admit it was nice.

"Who needs names at a time like this?"

"You're right, who does need names?" I reached a foot out and ran it slowly up the inside of his calf muscle.

His hands fell to the deep V of cleavage revealed by my camisole top and I bit my lip in unexpected pleasure at his touch. His finger slipping just inside the lace edge and stoking the soft skin invitingly. I gasped at his touch.

"Tell me something?" I whispered my eyes half closing in pleasure at his touch.

"Mmmm what's that?" He asked.

"Do many girls resist you?"

He chuckled softly and deeply, "Nope." He bent his head close so I could feel his warm breath on my neck, cheek and eventually lips as he made his intentions clear.

"Then let me be the first one." With huge difficulty I pulled away from his touch and walked down the hallway into the bathroom, closing the door and locking it behind me. I wanted my shower and Mr. Hot-Body could wait until I was ready.

Lee watched me saunter into the bathroom, the words sexy and sassy springing to mind. For a moment or two he had visions of me sharpening my teeth ready for another bite. Who I was or better yet, where had I come from, he had no idea but he found me incredibly attractive and obviously smart. I had seen through his planned seduction and for Lee that was a new experience. Most women fell at his feet but he was about to learn I was not most women. Of course, if he hadn't have been so tired he would have definitely pursured things further.

Lee shrugged and entered his room, a few different items scattered around so it was obvious I was staying there. _'I'll find out more later,'_ he thought to himself as he dropped his towel and stretched out on the still warm bed. He made mental note to himself to thank me for warming his bed.

Closing his eyes he was immediently assaulted with the the picture of me sprawled, red hair everywhere and arms lifted daintily above my head.

Fifteen minutes later he cursed that same image as it prevented him from drifting off to sleep when his mobile rang. He checked the display.

"Hey Mav," He answered easily. "Home at the moment trying to get some sleep. Who's the red-headed goddess?............................................Ah that explains it…………….No, no problems there but we'll have to work something out later, I'm afraid to sleep with her she might bite me." He laughed easily as I walked back into his room to collect some clothes.

I started a little at the sight of him on the bed but maintained my cool as I gathered jeans, shirt and underwear. "Is that Maverick?" I mouthed to him and he nodded. I rolled my eyes and left the room hearing Lee's quiet laugh behind me.

"Mav, I've got no problems sharing, you know that but I think the little girl is just a tiny bit afraid of me………………………Not possible? I don't quite know what you mean by that, she ran for the shower pretty quick when I got here……………….Yeah no worries, you can fill me in then, Bye."

He hung up, rolled over and shoved his head almost under his pillow relaxing easily. Within seconds he was asleep despite the picture of me sprawled across his bed.


	6. Chapter 6

The wind in my hair felt glorious as I roared across the almost barren landscape that was part of the Californian Desert. Maverick had kept his bikes in great condition and I couldn't wait for Angel to join me, she was going to love it. I had no idea where I was going but I didn't care other than the fact I was probably straying further from the base than my on-call restrictions allowed. But, so what? If they really wanted me they'd send a helicopter, besides I'd done almost six weeks straight on call now and was getting a bit fed up with it.

The sun dipped low and the sky burst into a myriad of brilliant hues, orange, pink, purple and gold being the main one's. It was breath taking and I pulled up on a low rise to watch, the bike purring quietly between my jean covered thighs. I jumped when a unbidden thought of sharing the sunset with Mr. Hot-Body came to mind.

Smiling to myself as the image of him naked on his bed accompanied the sunset and I couldn't help but marvel at the incredibly fine specimen of a man I'd seen. Manpower eat your heart out! I giggled; he was gorgeous but then again so too was Adam or rather Maverick. Looks like I was living every girls dream, living alone with two incredibly hot, egotistical pilots even if it was short lived. Tomorrow I'd have to find a place for Angel and I to live or did I seduce Mr. Hot-Body and get him on side? After all it was for a good cause.

The sunset was over and I sighed as I turned the bike around in the evening dusk and headed for home, well Maverick's home. Gunning the engine we hit 140 miles per hour easily and the bike purred like a kitten. It was definitely built for speed. Well of course it was, it belonged to a pilot and being a pilot myself I knew what that was like.

Suddenly a desert eagle appeared from nowhere in front of me squawking, claws out snatching up its dinner from the desert floor. Its gigantic wingspan was so close that feathers stuck my helmeted face knocking me off balance. I was going so fast I had no chance of controlling the bike and next thing I knew I was tumbling over and over and over before sliding to a stop on the gravel road. Everything quiet except for the victory cry of the eagle as it vanished into the distance with its dinner.

My leg stung unmercifully and my wrist ached but there didn't seem to be any particularly strong area of pain. I wiggled my fingers and toes, gratefully undoing the helmet. There was a bit of blood near my ear. Gingerly I sat up pulling the helmet off and taking a look at the large patch of angry gravel rash on my leg, My jeans torn dramatically.

Then, I looked around for the bike.

I could see a trail of broken bits of metal, lights and stuff scattered along the road leading to where the machine itself lay on its side in a nearby ditch. _'Shit! Mav's going to kill me,'_ I muttered slowly getting to my feet. My wrist was swelling and swelling fast but there wasn't a whole lot I could do about that. My pager and cell phone was amid the trail of destruction leading to the bike, smashed to smithereens. That solved the problem of being on call. I was a bit wobbly on my feet and sat back down again wincing in pain as I put my head between my knees.

How long I sat there like that for I didn't know but it was well and truly dark when I lifted my head, shivering in the night air. Headlights appeared in the distance and slowly I got to my feet to flag them down. For once in my life I was grateful to see it was the local sheriff.

After a trip to the hospital, two stitches underneath my ear and telling the nurse to F off with her ideas of staying overnight for observation, I sat in the sheriff's office nursing a cup of coffee. My wrist was heavily bandaged but not broken, thank god. The sheriff was entertaining and cute but definitely not a patch on Mr. Hot-Body. He'd rung Maverick once I'd returned from the hospital. If they couldn't keep me in for observation they weren't going to let me go anywhere alone.

The jeans now had half a leg missing thanks to an over zealous nurse and her scissors, I'd need a new pair. I had no idea how cold a piece of clothing could be when one part was missing. The leather jacket had held up though, thank god and I kept it wrapped tightly around me. It didn't help matters I was shivering. I knew it was delayed shock but I wasn't going to tell anyone else that. But anyway back to the leather jacket. I seriously would have cried if it was damaged and I was not one for crying easily but then again this wasn't your ordinary leather jacket. It was a unique helicopter flight jacket that only Nightstalkers were allowed to own, worth a mint to any avid Special Forces collector.

Having taken four pain killers instead of the required two, I was buzzing. The sheriff and I were laughing after he told me a particularly good joke when the door opened and in walked Maverick and Mr. Hot-Body. Their expressions were so totally neutral. _'Should I be scared?'_ I wondered.

"Evening boys," The sheriff greeted them.

"Evening Sheriff, I believe this young lady belongs to us?" Maverick answered smoothly.

"She most likely does, you know these gentlemen Ms James?"

"Nope never seen them before in my life," I grinned cheekily. Hey I was high! I couldn't feel a thing!

"Ashley!" Maverick groaned, "Don't start playing games or there will be serious consequences. You've already smashed my bike, ruined a good night-"

"Were you getting lucky again?" I broke into a broad grin and Maverick looked annoyed as he ran his hand through his hair.

Mr. Hot-Body laughed, "Didn't know you still had it in you Mav."

"Shut up Sanders," Maverick growled, "And no I wasn't referring to tonight I was referring to the other night when you sent Maria away. Now are you alright? Do I need to carry you?"

I snorted in disbelief, "Fat chance. Can I finish my coffee first?"

"Go ahead." Maverick shook his head at me. "By the way a Colonel Dunne called said something about Angel found and will be on base tomorrow."

"Oh thank god! I was actually beginning to think I'd have to break in a new partner. You'll like Angel; she's the stuff they make movies out of."

"Good or bad?" The sheriff asked curiously.

"Depends if you're on the receiving end of her angelic smile or not." I shrugged and gulped down the last of the coffee. "Right let's go." I stood up and picked up the bottle of pills from the sheriff's desk in front of me.

"What's that?" Maverick wrestled the bottle from my grasp and read the label with a frown. "How many of these have you had?"

"Four."

"No wonder you're full of beans."

"Yeah great isn't it?" I grinned and practically skipped from the office with a cheerful, "Goodnight Sheriff," flung over my shoulder.

"Lee, can you watch her? No telling what she'll do next."

The sheriff burst into great guffaws of laughter while Lee turned and followed my dancing form out the door.

"Hey Mr. Hot-Body! I didn't recognize you with your clothes on. Did anyone tell you you're cute?" I danced in front of him much to his amusement.

"Knock it off Ashley," Maverick glared at me as he too emerged from the small office. His partner never had a chance to answer.

"Oh what's the matter Maverick, are you jealous?"

"Hardly but he doesn't need any further encouragement from you."

"Oh?" I looked at Mr. Hot-Body with growing interest. I could still see him naked sprawled on the bed.

"Well neither do I." I winked and he turned away amused.

Lee was having a great time standing back watching my antics. He knew I was something pretty special to Maverick as he had never seen his partner so angry, worried or annoyed with a girl. There was obviously no romantic attachment as Maverick had already explained earlier that evening which left the way open for himself. However, right now wasn't the time to hit on the best friend.

Maverick hinted to me to get in the car which turned into a game of chasings. I was having a great time when they caught me and wrestled me in. Originally I started off in the front seat of the jeep but after fidgeting with the radio, and blaming it on gremlins, flicking the headlights onto high beam when another car went past and trying to help Maverick drive, or rather play chicken with the oncoming traffic, we only veered off the road twice with his fighting back, I was relegated to the back seat. But that was fine by me. I could stick my hands over Maverick's eyes while he drove. For some reason he didn't like that and tended to yell quite a bit. Mr Hot-Body had the fun job of trying to stop me from doing it while I bounced around the back seat faster than a jack rabbit on speed. It was great!

It was when I went quiet and the fun stopped that they got worried. I was way too quiet and both guys glanced into the back seat wondering if I'd jumped out only to find me sprawled across the seat sound asleep.

"I thought she was high on painkillers?" Lee asked.

"She was but when I signed the sheriff's release he confided that they had giving her a shot of morphine for the pain."

Lee laughed, "High on pain killers and whacked out by morphine, she's going to have one huge headache in the morning."

"I know but it was the only way to shut her up apparently. She can get pretty vocal when she's hurt."

"Only hurt?"

"Only hurt." Maverick nodded in confirmation understanding exactly what he was referring too. "Lee I know you can take care of yourself but just look out for Ashley okay? She's a bit lethal when it comes to men."

"Mav I'll be fine."

"I'm quite sure you will be but just be careful alright, she can be ruthless."

"And I can be ruthless right back. Relax Mav, if I can handle stuck up high society snobs I can certainly handle Miss Twinkle-Toes in the back seat."

"Okay only don't say I didn't warn you."

"Duly noted." Lee grinned at his friend.

"Lee?"

"Yeah?"

"You're starting to sound way too much like an Officer."

"Ah shit!"

They both burst out laughing and the joke carried them all the way home.

Mav's bike was totaled and he rang the smash repairer the next day telling him to keep it. It wasn't worth recovering.


	7. Chapter 7

I woke the next morning to a pounding headache and waves of nausea. I ached all over and felt like I'd been run over by a bus. I was in Mr. Hot-Body's room, whose name I still didn't know, and it was obvious he hadn't spent the night with me. That was a good thing; I definitely wanted to be awake when I finally decided to share _his_ bed.

Slowly I sat up as there was a knock on the door and Maverick walked in carrying a glass of water.

"Morning how are you feeling?" He asked setting the cup down beside the bed and handing me two tablets. "Two this time, not four."

I grinned at him obediently and gulped them down with the water. "Thanks Mav."

"It's alright. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by a bus."

"I'm not surprised, you totaled the bike."

"Sorry."

"Ashley, how many times do I have to tell you don't apologize especially when you don't mean it?"

"But I do mean it Mav, I wasn't planning on smashing it, I was planning on bringing it back in one piece except the stupid eagle screwed that up."

"And at what speed might I ask?"

"Let's put it this way, you've gone faster."

"Ashley," His tone held a warning note.

"What?" I answered grumpily and reached for the coffee.

"How fast?"

"Fast, over a hundred."

"You aren't going to tell me are you?"

"Nope."

Maverick sighed, "At least your okay, think you can get dressed and come downstairs?"

"Can Mr. Hot-Body help me?"

Maverick laughed, "I'm sure he'd love too however, I'm not going to encourage him or you and his name's Lee by the way."

"Nice." I propped the pillows behind me and leant against the wooden hand carved head board of the bed.

"Get yourself dressed and come downstairs we have bacon and eggs waiting." Maverick gently patted my foot through the covers.

Ten minutes later I limped downstairs only to be greeted by the delicious smell of bacon and eggs. My stomach let out a loud rumble just to confirm it wasn't my imagination. I moved stiffly into the kitchen to find both buys dressed, looking bright eyed and bushy tailed finishing off their own breakfasts.

"Morning sleep well?" Mr. Hot-Body asked me, his muscles moving delightfully under his T-Shirt as he took his empty plate to the sink and started rinsing it off.

"Yes thank you."

"I'm Lee."

"Ashley."

"Nice to meet you at last."

"Yeah, same here."

I started on the plate of bacon and eggs Maverick kindly put in front of me. "Oh Mav, I've got to ring my CO again. My pager and phone got smashed yesterday."

"That's fine. So what happened aside from you going very fast?"

"I rode out and stopped to watch the sunset. Afterwards I turned around to come home and was cruising along when this eagle landed really close to pick up his dinner. His wings knocked me off balance and I flipped."

"Well at least you're alright."

"Yeah, so how come you guys aren't at work? Isn't it Wednesday?"

"It is but this is our last day of leave, we report in tomorrow," Lee explained wiping his wet hands on a nearby tea towel.

"Oh right."

"Ashley, given the fact that you've been in an accident and all, Lee and I have agreed you can stay until the weekend okay?"

"Oh thanks Mav, you're the greatest." I jumped up and hurried round the bench to hug him.

"Careful, people will talk." He laughed as he fended me off.

"Let them and thanks Maverick, I do appreciate it."

"I know you do."

"So if I stay till the weekend, where are you going to sleep?" I looked at Lee mischievously.

"We actually have a third room through that door there. It's a storage room at present but it won't take much for all of us to clean it up and then you can move right in. We've got a sofa bed that's fairly reasonable, mind you it's been awhile since either of us has slept on it." He leaned back smugly arms crossed over his muscular chest.

He was playing games with me!

"Well it beats a tent in the backyard." I shrugged like it wouldn't bother me. "Your loss. Now if I don't ring my CO and report the pager and phone, I'll be up before a firing squad. Thanks for breakfast; can I have some more pain killers?"

"No!" Both Lee and Maverick shouted at the same time.

Four hours later I landed my helicopter on the tarmac at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It was the headquarters for the Nightstalkers and I knew it well. Slipping off my headphones I went through the familiar routine of shutting down everything and pulled the log out of the pocket on my door.

With the paperwork completed I was finally allowed to make my way inside the building that housed us Nightstalkers. Let me tell you it was a very slow walk and I was starting to think someone had beaten me with a baseball bat while I was asleep rather than just a simple bike accident.

"Hey Kaz, long time no see, how's life in California?" Fingers greeted me as I limped through the glass doors into our units building.

"Not bad." I pulled the sign-in clipboard towards me and signed.

Fingers handed me the required swipe card.

"What happened?"

"What do you mean what happened?"

"It looks like you've been going a few rounds with a nasty cat."

"Oh no, I stacked a bike last night."

Fingers whistled approvingly, "Must have been some speed you were doing."

"It was. Seeya!" I swiped the card and walked stiffly through the self opening and closing automatic door towards the interview rooms. I greeted a couple of fellow Nightstalker pilots who could only look at me with curiosity. "No I'm not answering questions! Go talk to Fingers since he loves the gossip."

"No worries Kaz," and "Will do," were the sum total of the replies. That was strange. Normally no one listened to me and what I asked. Maybe it was because I looked like I'd been in a fight with Mike Tyson or was it because they knew Angel was back and I wouldn't be stopping till I saw her? Either way, I shrugged, it was a good thing and it's about time they learn't not to ask nosy questions.

Angel was more or less my partner in crime. A pretty girl with the sweetest face that only got sweeter when she wasn't exactly telling the truth hence her call name of Angel. She was no Angel that's for sure. With long dark wavy hair and the sweetest heart shaped face she oozed confidence but at the same time an innocence that was sweet and endearing. God knows how many men she had suckered in with _that _look. Long legs, usually encased in black jeans, a smattering of sensuous curves combined with a cheeky sense of humour and you had a force to be reckoned with. I don't think it helped that she was acutely aware of the impact she had on others especially men either.

Angel, aka Colonel Madison Harris, was someone to be reckoned with. SAS trained, thanks to a brother but no actual time in combat, she was almost fearless hence the effort my CO, Tactical, had gone to get her to work with us. With big brown eyes that melted the hardest of hearts plus a healthy dose of cheek, she was the kindest, generous and most loving individual that I had ever met. Of course being the only two female pilots in the Nightstalkers, it helped enormously to stick together. Most of our male counterparts ran a mile when we walked towards them with smiles as wide as the ocean.

"Hey Angel, good to see you," I said smiling at the relaxed looking grinning girl. Considering she'd been lost in combat for five days she looked pretty good and refreshed as she lounged lazily in a chair.

"It's good to see you too Kaz."

"What happened?"

"The bastards blew the helo to smithereens' and kept beating us to the emergency extraction points." Helo being short for helicopter.

"Sounds like an inside job?"

"Yeah that's what I was just discussing with Tactical. What the hell happened to you?"

"A desert eagle, non gun type, knocked me off a bike."

"Ouch nasty! Did you kill the bird?"

"No it was dark and I didn't have the NVG's with me. Plus by the time I finished rolling he was long gone."

"How was the bike when it was over?"

"It was totaled."

"Bugger."

"Yeah tell me about it, it belonged to a friend too."

"Not the incredible Maverick you're always talking about?"

"Yeap the one and the same."

"Kaz! Glad you could make it? You alright?" My CO Colonel Anthony Dunne, aka Tactical, walked into the room and hit the light switch that alerted those outside that the room was in use.

"I'm fine just a bike accident. I'll need a new pager and phone; mine got smashed on the roadway."

"Quite alright these things happen." Ten minutes later he passed me a new phone and pager. "Now, how are things shaping up at Miramar?"

"Not bad, the Navy's pretty co-operative and we've got two hangars, several offices' and a few classrooms at our disposal."

"Accommodation?"

"Not much worst luck, they're over stocked with officers but the BOQ's have a few vacancies. I'd consider establishing a community off base for wives and families."

"I'll look into it. Angel filled you in on what happened?"

"Yeah, looks like we have an insider."

"Yeap and so far you two are the only two cleared of suspicion at this point so I'm making it your job to find them. I want them found quickly and smoothly, no fuss or fireworks," He looked piercingly at both of us.

We both smiled back innocently, "Of course sir."

Tactical shook his head, Angel had her trademark smile which meant she was lying and only those closest to her knew it.

"Ladies I'm serious! We've had to do a lot of ass-kissing and sweet-talking to get this far, I don't want the Navy upset when you destroy their base chasing a renegade. Now aside from hunting out the traitor, you'll be working on establishing the Nightstalker training contingent, putting together the syllabus and training program, as well as working with the Navy instructors. Organizing moves and assistance to families as well as attending to normal administrative duties, think you can handle it?"

"Yes sir!" We both replied.

"Good, I wouldn't have put your names forward if I didn't think you could. You'll still be on the monthly call rosters and you'll have two full crews with you to assist with training. Ladies, training these days is big business and obviously our Navy and Army's are recognizing that, so I want you to do your best not to get the red-necks killed. There's a lot of money being thrown into this project and as we all know we need money, some of our helo's are on their last leg's and need replacing. As for future pilots for us we'll take the top team in every two hundred trainee's for further training in which case they'll be pitched into live fire situations etc, so no guns alright?"

"Geez Tact, what are we doing then? Teaching them to fly helos? Don't they cover that in basic training?" Angel asked, sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

"We're teaching them to fly helos low and fast, in and out of combat. The Navy is perfecting the fighter pilot's skills and also wants to cover working with us in combat situations. Your contact on base is Admiral Tom Crofts while I wind up here. He'll be able to help you with whatever you need. Go forth ladies, have fun and for god's sake be good!" Tactical stood up and snapped the outside light off, signaling the meeting was over.

"We are taking our regular crews aren't we Tact?"

"Yeap they're in the ready room waiting to go. Good luck."

"Thank you sir." Angel fare welled him.

"Oh ladies, before I forget, you're now holding ranks of Colonel's." He handed us two identical envelopes containing stripes and insignia's.

"Oh so that's what I am now." I laughed as I pocketed the envelope and picked up helmet and gloves. "Let's go collect the children."

"Right behind you," Angel stated and we headed into the ready room to collect our crews.


	8. Chapter 8

Angel and I flew a helo each. She had a crew of three as did I, two door gunners and one navigator. They were our best friends, husbands, right hands and brother's in arms. We were close and whenever we lost one we all felt it like it was our own son. Our teams had been hand picked and trained by ourselves. We'd been together a good two years and almost read each other's minds.

Silencer was my navigator and notoriously good for seeing me home when I was passed out in some bar. He was a big man, bald as a badger, protective and loyal. I couldn't ask for a better back up in the cockpit. He had a twelve year old son who he saw on the weekends he wasn't on call. The kid lived with his ex-wife and he loved regaling us with stories of his son's achievements.

Crusher and Dudette, his name started as Dude until he did an embarrassing skit on stage one night, were young, enthusiastic recruits from the Rangers. They both had snipering skills which came in handy but their shooting was deadly accurate which you needed in a helo. Dudette had a young wife, Kelly and they were eagerly trying for kids. Crusher usually hung out with them and was starting to take a shine to Lisa's young cousin. We'd already started calling him Crushed.

Angel's navigator was Baskets and he was the daddy of the group. With wife, Chris and four navy brats at home he was the second member out of all eight to be married. He constantly tried to father Angel which only brought about moments of hilarity when Angel didn't want to be mothered or fathered which was pretty much all the time. He'd taken Angel under his wing and there was nothing she could do about it.

Her two door gunner's were Nightstalker veteran's, they'd survived a tour without being killed or injured out. They were loud type cowboys and when the guns were going, the rotors thumping, the helo shaking like a bucket of bolts they were the two yelling _'yehaa'_ at the tops of their voices as they mowed down the enemy. There was nothing they wouldn't do for us girls but there was a whole lot more they did off duty. Out of all of us they held the record for having been imprisoned the most times. They were late thirties, been married twice and complete opposites of each other. Scatcat and Battler were the best of mates, sharing residences and quite often women.

We reached the ready room and stood in the doorway looking around at the relaxed faces of our men. It was hard knowing one of them was a traitor but it was even harder knowing what sort of holy chaos they were going to cause the navy. I crossed my fingers hoping that the navy was ready for it.

"Ah the hookers have arrived!" Battler crowed when he saw us enter the room.

"Afternoon Colonel's," Baskets offered with a congratulatory smile.

'Hey Kaz, Hi Angel' and all sorts of various greetings followed from the others.

"You boys know what's happening?" Angel asked perching herself on the edge of the desk up front of the room.

"Yeah we're going to play with the stick boys!" Scatcat laughed.

Angel and I both had to suppress a smile at the comment.

"True, however, we do have to behave. We're going to be stationed permanently down there now until they decide to move us or the training school somewhere else and it would be nice to stay out of trouble at least for the first forty-eight hours," Angel sighed. "You too Kaz."

The boys laughed, I could be just as bad as them and they knew it.

"Hey Kaz, we heard you've already smashed one of their bikes, not bad for the first twenty-four hours." Crusher laughed.

"It was more than twenty-four hours, my friend and it was the eagle that tried to pick me up for his dinner that did it."

The boys hooted with laughter and even Angel fought to suppress a smile. I was notorious for placing the blame on anything else, unless it was serious.

"Baskets they looking after your wife and family's move?" Angel asked.

"Yes Ma'am, they're following on in a fortnight."

"Great, what about you Dudette?"

"Yeah but they aren't letting Jill come with us."

"Tell Kelly to list her as the housekeeper and future Nanny then Crusher won't have to kill you when you leave her behind." Angel smiled while the boys laughed.

"Right nothing else to cover?" Everyone shook their heads. "Okay, let's go move house."

"Oh and guys, go use the head's now before we leave, I'm sick of cleaning piss off the side of the helo," I instructed much to their amusement.

When the boys needed to go they stood in the open doorway and let fly. The rushing wind splattered the liquid down the side of the helo or across the face of Angel's helo if she happened to be following at the time. Our flight positions changed that much that we never really knew who was lead.

The boys laughed but complied.

One baggage was tied down, APU's warmed up and pre-flight checks done I shoved a CD in the CD player and lifted off. Angel and I always flew to loud music when we were travelling between bases, in combat it was a different story. So far ACDC was the well voted favourite of us all.

The flight across country to Miramar was uneventful except for target practice on a flock of geese in the distance. We passed over one of the boys' grandmother's houses so that called for a low swoop to say hi. We all waved to the grey-haired woman in the back yard that was hanging out the nice clean washing. It wasn't so clean after we'd been through.

After games of tag and mock races we arrived at Miramar and set our birds down nicely. The guys grabbed bags and we made our way into the building where we were issued with security and gate passes.

It turned out Admiral Crofts was in Washington and not due back until Monday so consequently nothing had been organized in the way of accommodation etc.

"Now what?" Crusher moaned and dropped into a nearby plastic chair. "We got to sleep outside or something?"

"Wouldn't be the first time, you wous," Silencer glared at the weaker man.

"Maybe if I charm the young Junior Grade Lieutenant I might be able to get me a warm bed for the night," Scatcat rubbed his hands together in glee and looked at the pretty blonde who had signed us in.

"Ashley any suggestions? And no motels, you know what these guys will do to them." Angel asked me.

"Guess we'll have to crash at my friends place until we can sort something out."

"Right lead the way." Angel shouldered her own pack and they all followed me out the building and across base to Maverick's house.

I giggled picturing Mav's face when he found seven new house guests, he was not going to be happy but hell, nothing's smooth sailing when I'm around.

I had my own key and let myself in showing everyone through to the living room where they whistled in appreciation and admiration, the huge LCD TV capturing their attentions most of all. Three of them instantly headed for the kitchen looking for anything edible and beer.

The rest made themselves comfortable, turned on the TV and flicked straight over to a football game. Within no time they were completely engrossed in it. Maddie rolled her eyes and we moved into the kitchen just as Crusher exited with a six pack of beer under one arm and a loaf of bread under the other.

"Hey!" Angel called to the men, "We replace what we eat and drink right?"

"Yes Mum!" All six of them chorused.

"Is your friend going to be okay with this?" She asked me.

"Nope."

Angel giggled, "Is there a shower I can use? What about a room with a bed in it?"

"Yeah through here. We'll have to share unless you want to kick my friend and his partner out of their beds upstairs or share with them, either one."

"How hot are they?" She asked raising her eyebrows.

"Hot enough to boil water just by looking at it."

"Superman types huh?"

"You got it."

We both giggled as she grabbed a change of clothes out of her bag and I showed her upstairs to where the bathroom was. When I came back down, Battler grabbed me and pulled me down on the lounge between him and Dudette.

"Now Kaz, knucklehead here doesn't know the difference between a running back and a full back, would you care to explain?"

"How can I when I don't know the difference myself." I shrugged wriggling down some more on the comfy lounge.

At that moment the front door opened and Lee walked in. He stopped, looked and started laughing. "You really do have a death wish don't you Ashley?" He asked. "Mav's five minutes behind me."

"Ashley is that your name?" Silencer asked jokingly.

"Shut up, you know it is! Don't worry about Maverick, Lee I'll talk him round."

"It's not Maverick I'm worried about its you. You've already smashed his bike now you fill his house with strangers, man I wouldn't want to be in your shoes." Lee shook his head as he ran upstairs.

Just then the door opened again and Maverick walked in. The minute he saw all the bodies sprawled in the living room he scowled. Baskets hummed the tune to jaws and the others joined in.

"Ashley a word please in the kitchen," Maverick ordered looking none too happy.

Silencer grinned, "And the catastrophe strikes again."


	9. Chapter 9

"Yes Mav?" I asked innocently following him into the kitchen.

"Who are they? What are they and why are they in my house?" His voice was low and angry.

"They are mine and Angel's flight crews, four of them are door gunners, two are navigators and they are in your house because Admiral Crofts is away and no accommodation arrangements were made for them. They had to stay somewhere."

"The nearest motel didn't cross your mind?"

"We don't let our guys near motels as they have a tendency to knock them down or blow them up and the Army has a problem paying for the damage." Angel spoke from the doorway. She was dressed in her trademark black singlet top and tight black jeans looking more and more like a cross between Lara Crofts and Catherine Zeta Jones everyday. Lee stood behind her watching amused. _'Nice ass,'_ he mouthed to Maverick.

"And you are?"

"Colonel Madison Harris, United States Army, known as Angel at your service, Sir." She saluted him smartly and I watched as Maverick reluctantly returned the salute. "Now gentlemen I sincerely apologize for this intrusion but at the moment our options of accommodation are somewhat limited. I promise you they will behave and we will replace all food and drink consumed whilst on the premises."

"How long Ashley?" Maverick half-glared ignoring Angel.

"Um until we find a house or the Admiral comes back, Monday?"

"No way! Tonight and tonight only, that's it. My days of free loading idiots are over. And you're out of here on the weekend, end of arguments."

"Oh come on Mav," I whined. "We'll be good I promise."

"And you are?" Angel enquired demurely. I looked away biting my lip there was nothing demure about Angel unless she wanted something.

"Captain Adam Mitchell, United States Navy, but you can call me Maverick and the answer is still no."

"Please?" I asked pleadingly.

"No!"

"I'll beg."

"The answers still no Ashley. I like my quiet without six wild men and two women marching in here and turning it upside down thank you very much. Go sleep in your helicopter's, god knows they've got room."

"Maverick-"

"No Ashley, so quit asking!" He stalked out of the kitchen and upstairs much to the amusement of our flight crews who cat-called, whistled and generally harassed.

"Did he get knocked back last night?" I asked Lee.

"We didn't even get out the door when we had to go pick you up."

"No wonder he's uptight, any ideas why he doesn't trust me?"

"From what he's told me, plenty."

"They aren't true."

Lee snickered as he picked up the kettle and filled it with water, "Yeah right, coffee ladies?"

"Please." I answered and turned to Maddie. She was quiet and thoughtful still staring out the door that Maverick had disappeared through. "What are you thinking?" I nudged her.

"How we can get Mr. Up-Tight to relax and let us stay."

Lee laughed, "Mav's pretty stubborn when his mind's made up. There's not much that can change it. Ashley should know that by now."

"Yeah I do but being so out of touch with him makes you tend to forget," I sighed, "Never mind, base housing will be open tomorrow so we can get something arranged."

"Maybe I should go and have a chat with our Captain," Maddie smiled at me and I read the smile like a book.

"See you in a couple of hours."

Lee looked up surprised, while Maddie smiled mysteriously and drifted out the kitchen.

Maddie knocked quietly on the closed door that she assumed belonged to Maverick. "Captain Mitchell?"

Maverick sighed and strode across the room opening the door. His uniform shirt hung open revealing the nice white T-Shirt stretched tantalizingly across his muscular chest. "Colonel Harris, what can I do for you?"

"I thought maybe we could talk and work something out seeing as how we've landed on you so suddenly. I'm sure Ashley wouldn't have brought us here if she knew it was going to upset you so much." Maddie ducked under his arm and walked in, settling on a chair and crossing her legs. She gave a stretch and smiled when Maverick noticed the singlet top stretch tight across her ample tits. He wouldn't be male if he didn't Maddie thought to herself.

"How long have you known Ashley?" Maverick asked, moving back to the cupboard and stripping off his uniform shirt quickly followed by the white T-Shirt.

"Three years now."

"Is that all?" He turned looking at her in sympathy. "I've known her twenty-three and believe me when I say she did know it was going to bother me or she wouldn't have done it."

Maddie giggled, "We don't call her Kaz for no reason. By the way it's short for catastrophe."

Maverick couldn't help himself; he burst into laughter, "Who ever chose that name chose well."

"Thank you sir, it wasn't easy."

"You picked it?"

"Yeap." Maddie grinned easily at the guy who was still shirtless. His bronzed muscle defined chest gleaming enticingly at her. "You know what you need?"

"No what?"

"A massage, come sit yourself down here." She patted the chair and Maverick looked at her warily. "Come on, I won't bite."

He decided to do as she said and settled down in the chair she had just vacated. Maddie's fingers started kneading the tight muscles around his neck.

Fifteen minutes later, Maverick felt himself relaxing under her gentle touch and by god it felt good when Maddie suddenly straddled his thighs, perching on his lap.

"Ms Harris-"

"Sssshhhhhhhhh!" She placed a finger against his lips. "Just relax and enjoy, I won't try anything, promise." She started on the same shoulder muscles but from the front and after twenty minutes Maverick was practically asleep.

Maddie stood up quietly and laid an incredibly soft light kiss on his lips. It was so light Maverick thought he'd imagined it. "Goodnight Captain Mitchell," She whispered quietly and slipped from the room.

An hour later Maverick appeared looking relaxed and happy fresh from a shower. He even walked downstairs whistling which caught me by surprise.

"Alright Ashley, you and your friends can stay till Monday."

Lee did a double take at his friend, Maddie grinned like the Cheshire cat, and the boys all cheered and thanked him, while I smiled in approval. Maddie could get round anyone when her mind was also made up.


	10. Chapter 10

"So what did she do?" Lee asked leaning back in his chair taking a break.

It was after a riotous dinner and he and Maverick were upstairs in Maverick's room not quite hiding but it felt like it. Downstairs there were crushed pizza boxes and the remnants of a food fight. The lovely Angel was standing over the six men ensuring they cleaned up every last bit while Kaz stood by politely suggesting places to put the rubbish. It was most uncomplimentary to the men which made everyone smile and laugh except the recipients.

"Who?" Maverick asked shoving aside the course notes he'd brought home to go over that evening. The last thing he felt like doing was work of any kind.

"Maddie or rather Angel?" Lee drawled suggestively.

"Not much."

"Not much? It had to be something; you never change your mind especially where Ashley's concerned."

"I don't deny her everything Lee."

"Oh no? From what I've seen in the last couple of days I beg to disagree on that point."

"Nah you're dreaming. Anyway we aren't talking about Ashley."

"This is true, so what did the Angel do to get you to soften up."

"Not much other than relaxed me."

"Aaaahhhhhhhh!" Lee repeated in a knowing voice.

"No it wasn't that."

"Bugger! I'd imagine sex with that little babe would be pretty close to fireworks."

"You imagine sex with any woman would be close to fireworks." Maverick laughed.

"True but haven't you noticed how incredibly hot and in control she is?"

Maverick poised for a moment thinking. "Yeah I noticed alright, how could I not? Ashley's playful and she's just…."

"An Angel?" Lee asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I was thinking more along the lines of a tigeress." Lee laughed. "She certainly is intriguing and I wouldn't mind getting to know her better."

"Is that why you're letting them stay till Monday?"

"Yeah unless you've got any objections?"

"Oh no, none here." Lee grinned, "I kind of like having them around if you get my meaning."

Just then there was a whole lot of raucous laughter from downstairs followed by loud female yells, some thumps, bangs and rather loud cries of pain.

"The whole lot or just the girls?"

"The girls, the rest will disappear when they discover women. I know I did." Maverick grinned at his partner.

"Yeap you and me both," Lee replied easily leaning his chair back on two legs and resting it against the wall. "You know we could help matters a long somewhat."

"How?"

"Throw a party, invite the women and let cupid have some fun."

"Too much hard work. I suggest we take them to the officer's club and let them go."

"You think? They are Army and the O'Club doesn't take too kindly to the Army."

"It'll be the bimbo's at the club who decide their fate not the navy."

"True, new faces always get voted in."

There was a splintering crash and a chorus of boo's and laughter.

"I think our coffee table just got broken for the sixth time."

"Yeap I'd say you were right."

"Hey Captain Green-Eyes?" I sauntered into Maverick's room, coming to a stop by Lee.

"Tell me that wasn't our coffee table that I just heard breaking Ashley?" Maverick spoke up sternly.

"That wasn't our coffee table that I just heard breaking," Ashley repeated deadly serious.

"Of course it's not your coffee table you probably don't own one, Miss Smarty!"

"Oh now be nice Maverick. The boys will replace it. Angel's already threatening them with dire consequences if anything else gets broken."

"Just as well-."

"Now Captain Green-Eyes, I've come to ask a favour." I completely ignored Maverick and whatever whinges he was coming out with.

"What can I do for you Ashley?" Lee asked amused.

"Can I take your car for a drive?"

"I don't know, do you have a license?"

"I have a pilot's license does that count?"

"No," Lee laughed, "He's a pilot and I know how he drives so I certainly don't want you driving it either. Besides you'll probably smash it like the bike."

"Hey that wasn't my fault it was the eagles."

Maverick laughed, "Careful Ashley, he's more stubborn than I am."

"Are you?"

"When I want to be."

"Oh a man who knows his own mind, I like that." I smiled seductively at him. "Come with me then?"

"Where are you going?"

"Thought I might go across the border to Mexico or up the coast to LA, not really sure yet." I moved around to sit on his knee forcing his chair back down onto the floor. Looping an arm around his neck I let my fingers play with the neckline of his T-Shirt, the occasional fingernail raking bare skin.

Lee watched me for a second or two and I couldn't be real sure if he was interested, amused or about to assault me. "And what's in it for me?" Lee asked coy.

"A nice ride with a pretty girl and who knows where that could lead you." I winked at him. "But I can guarantee you'll have fun."

Lee didn't bat an eye as he gave me a smile and answered without hesitation. "Sounds dammed good to me. Wasn't doing much around here anyway." I grinned and got up off his knee.

"Let me grab a jacket."

"You right if I take off for awhile Mav?" Lee watched my backside as I left the room.

"Yeah I think so and Lee just watch her, she's liable to leave you stranded somewhere."

Lee laughed, "What is she, some type of car thief?"

"More or less, she knows how to hotwire."

"Interesting."

Two minutes later the car wouldn't start and it didn't look like we were going to get out of the garage.

"Pop the hood and I'll have a look. Pop's used to own a mechanic's workshop and I'm pretty good on engines." I said getting out of the car.

"So Mav was saying. It's probably got a flat battery from lack of use, it's been sitting here for the past seven months."

I listened with half an ear and played with the battery connections pretending to locate the problem. "I'd say that's it and knowing my friend he's got some jumper leads around here somewhere."

"Yeah he does, usually in the cupboard over there."

I walked over and looked in the cupboard and sure enough their they were wound up in a neat loop lying on the shelf inside. "Nope looks like he's moved them," I remarked closing the cupboard door. "You want to go ask him where he's moved them too? I remember when we were young he was always moving things and forgetting to tell the rest of us where he put them. I'll stay here and make sure none of my crews try to steal your car."

Lee only rolled his eyes at me but walked out of the garage. "Oh and Lee grab the keys to the jeep so we can jump start yours." Lee waved in acknowledgment and continued inside to find out where his partner had stashed the jumper leads this time.

The six house guests lay sprawled in the now clean living room with Dudette, Silencer and Crusher working on putting the coffee table back together when Lee sauntered through.

"Hey Flyboy! Thought our little catastrophe roped you into taking her for a drive?" Battler called out to him.

"She did but the batteries dead, we need a jump."

Suddenly the men burst into laughter and even Angel looked up with a knowing smile. "You sure about that?"

"Yes why?"

"Mate I hate to tell you this but it looks like the red terror strikes again." Baskets grinned at him from his place on the floor. "Kaz is pretty good at finding ways to get what she wants."

"And what does she want?" Suddenly Lee paled. "On second thoughts don't answer that!" He ran quickly back outside with the sound of group laughter ringing in his ears. Maddie was close behind him.

Lee swore as his car reversed past him out of the driveway, going very fast.

I spun the wheel hard pulling off a 180 with tyres screeching and smoking in protest. Maddie shot past him without hesitation, leapt clean over the passenger's side door and settled into the front seat. I pushed the accelerator all the way to the floor and with another screech of acrid smoke, we sped off down the roadway.

The extra houseguests had naturally filed outside to see what was going on and sympathetically clapped Lee on the shoulders between bursts of hilarious laughter. Even Maverick came out to see what was happening they were laughing that hard and that loud.

"Let me guess she tricked you?" Maverick asked. He couldn't help but smile a little bit at his partner having been snookered.

"Looks that way, dammed brat!"

"Yeap that's Ashley!" All the boys howled knowingly.

"You know what's worst?" Silencer asked from beside him.

"What's that?"

"When Angel's around the pranks get worse."

"Shit!"


	11. Chapter 11

"So how long have you known Maverick or rather the gorgeous Captain Adam Mitchell?" Maddie asked from her resting place on the bonnet of the car beside me.

We'd found a lookout in some mountains outside of San Diego and sat there looking out over the lights. As predicted the car had hummed and purred with sources of untapped speed. It took a bit of work and some coaxing but eventually I had managed to open her up and we really took off.

"Twenty-three years or since I was five, give or take."

"And he's still your friend?" She looked at me impressed.

I burst out laughing, "Sort of although after this visit I don't think I'm going to be welcomed back in a hurry. God knows I've put him through hell and then some but for some reason he always seems to tolerate me."

"So you and he haven't got a thing going?"

"Good lord no! Mav's a good friend who happened to pick me up when times were rough; he was always looking after me. Mind you we did share our first kiss together when we were fifteen, our first date and well we were each other's first's in bed but that was a long time ago. Me as his girlfriend would drive him round the bend literally." I smiled at the memories when we had attempted a relationship of sorts. It lasted about an hour give or take all the fights and breakups in the month we were together. "You interested in him?"

"I might be," Angel replied guardedly in true angel style.

"Go for it. I can't recommend anyone better and he is a truly nice guy or should I say one of the better one's. If he's serious about you, he'll treat you like a princess, if not, you won't last." I shrugged. "Be warned though he's got six brothers and they are all happy to stick their noses into their brother's love life. Mind you with them living so far away you're pretty safe."

"Sounds no different to our flight crews. They don't hesitate in sticking their noses into our love life either."

We both laughed.

"Yeah and anything else they happen to come across," I added. "So are they shipping the Porsche down here for you?"

"Of course. This car's nice but not a patch on my baby." Maddie sighed happily.

"Ah the helos are not a patch on your Porsche either."

"And Tomcat's are not a patch on the helo's either," Maddie quipped making us laugh again. "Can you imagine landing a Tomcat just to do the grocery shopping?"

"Oh most definitely. Hey, Maverick and Lee should be able to get us a ride in one too; after all they are the senior pilots on base."

"Yeah? They're the one's we have to work closely with on this training syllabus etc."

"I don't mind finding excuses to spend time with Captain Green-Eyes. He's simply delicious." I licked my lips appreciatively and both of us almost fell off the car laughing.

Maddie sighed, "What's the plans for tomorrow since our contact's not here?"

"Well we need to find these boys some temporary accommodations I think, and give Tactical a ring and let him know about Admiral Crofts not being here. We also need to organize houses for the families. Move into the new offices and get those set up and find ourselves a place to live unless you can sweet talk my friend around again. What did you do to him, by the way?"

"Just gave him a shoulder massage. Nothing flash."

"Well it worked, but I don't think we should push our luck again though."

"Yeah after tonight's car escapade I wouldn't be surprised if both our bags are packed and sitting outside on their front porch when we get home."

"Your's might not be but mine certainly will. Oh man that was just so easy and simple it was like child's play."

"Ashley."

"Mmmmmmm?"

"Be careful, men can be devious too."

"Oh like I don't know that? Relax Madison I'll be fine."

"I hope so and we best get back, its three am."

"Is that all?" I rolled off my side of the bonnet and followed her back, hopping in the car for the drive home.

Just as we hit I10 and were about ten minutes from Maverick's our pagers started their usual song and dance chorus. Maddie looked at her's and dialed the number, getting instructions while I drove.

"Where to?" I asked calmly.

"Army side of the base."

"Got it."

We pulled up at the gate and flashed our security passes and were waved through. As we pulled up in the main car park wondering where to next a young Second Lieutenant appeared.

"Colonel's Harris and James?" He puffed like he had to run.

"That's us," Maddie and I flashed the ID again.

"Okay Ma'am I'll give you directions to where you need to go." The second Lieutenant leapt in the back and guided us around the base onto the open tarmac.

In front of us was a C130 transport and the tail was down. Three men waited and when they saw us they waved us straight into the back of the plane. Lee's lovely convertible fitted quite nicely inside right behind our two helicopters.

As soon as we were on board the Luitennant in back jumped out and wished us well. The cargo loading door closed with a whirr and thud while engine's started revving right up past idle. Standing right in front of us was six grinning flight crew members.

"Anyone know where we're going?" Maddie asked climbing out of the car.

"Nope," Silencer replied as we followed them up onto the upper deck and took our seats.

"Let's hope it's in the country or I'm going to be in so much shit," I muttered buckling the seat belt as the plane started to roll.

"You already are Kaz, you already are. He was pretty pissed when you took off with his car."

"Yeah well, now he's going to be even more pissed."

"And she wonders why we call her a catastrophe." Crusher remarked loudly.

"Shut up!" I growled and settled back in the seat to get some sleep.

"Ashley what a pleasant surprise, where are you?" Lee's voice was warm and sincere when Maverick handed the phone over to him two days later.

"Um, well I'm not in America, that's for sure." I delayed answering the inevitable.

"I see and my car?"

"It's not in America either but it's with me, if that helps any," I added lamely.

"What are you planning to do? Air-mail it home?"

"More or less. The guys flying the transport have promised faithfully to return it to Miramar as soon as they can, trouble is, there haven't been any return transports for awhile."

"Dare I ask how long awhile is?"

"A month," I spoke softly.

"A month as in thirty one days?" He repeated in disbelief.

"Yes," My voice was softening as Lee actually started to make me feel guilty. Angel was lounging on a tent pole nearby and looked at me in interest.

"I see. Well, I tell you what, you get that car home to me ASAP or I'm going to personally hunt you down and dismember your pretty little body one cell at a time with a pair of tweezers, understand?"

"Yes."

"Good! I'm not impressed Ms Trouble, not impressed at all!"

"I'm sorry," I offered weakly.

Lee laughed harshly, "This from the girl whose middle name is trouble? Oh now that is a joke."

"I'm not a joke!" I yelled and slammed down the radio phone cutting the connection. "Asshole!"

"You okay?" Maddie asked me worried.

"I'm fine!" I snapped and stormed out of the stupid tent needing to be alone.

"Woah! What's up with Kaz?" Baskets asked getting pushed out of my way as he walked in.

"I think Captain Green Eyes called her a joke."

"Ouch!"

"Yeah tell me about it. What have you got for me?"

"Okay," Baskets laid out maps and the two settled into studying them closely.

Three days later I was able to get Lee's car on a transport home, which was a relief. I managed to get clearance a second time to tell him and thankfully got Maverick on the other end of the phone. He promised to pass the message on as he agreed it wasn't safe for Lee to talk to me right at that moment.


	12. Chapter 12

"Where the hell is the team?" Angel screamed over the mike as we hovered ten foot off the ground taking heavy enemy fire. Delta teams 4 and 5 were supposed to be at the extraction point but there was no one there. "Shit! I can't hold it any longer. I'm out of here." Angel dipped, banked hard left while Battler let loose with a volley of gunfire.

"Kaz you see anything?"

"Negative Angel." I followed her helo out of the worst of the gunfire, Silencer scanning the ground around us for sight of a flashing strobe that would indicate the whereabouts of the two Delta teams. "Silencer, get onto TOC and find out where the hell those teams are?"  
"Okay Kaz."

Just then there was a pop and a yell from Crusher as black oil sprayed him. The dial indicating oil pressure dropped dramatically. "Kaz, the bastards have hit-"

"The main oil line," I finished for him. "Yeah I know, pressures dropping dramatically. Come on baby don't die on me now." I crooned to the helo as it shuddered violently. "Can either of you back there wrap some tape or something around the oil leak?"

"Doing it now Kaz," Dudette responded and I heaved a sigh of relief when the oil pressure stopped its fall just above empty.

"Let's hope the tape holds till we get her home." I muttered scanning the dark ground for an emergency landing patch but seeing nothing in the dark.

"Um Kaz?" Silencer asked hesitatingly.

"What? Grab hold of that stick would you and help me hold her."

"Got it." Two hands on the stick were always better than one. "Delta Teams 4 & 5 are located 100 miles to the east. We've been given the wrong co-ordinates," Silencer finished.

"Shit!"

"They also haven't called in for extraction."

"Angel did you copy that?"

"Yeah Kaz, let's go home."

"Gladly."

We turned for home and pushed the helos as fast as they could go for the base. The base was in sight when oil pressure hit empty and blue smoke started to fill the cargo hold behind us. I seriously started having doubts as to whether or not we'd make it. The engine started cutting in and out but the APU still maintained its charge so for the last five or so minutes of the wild ride, Silencer sat there with his finger on the engine start button constantly pressing it.

Through sheer luck we made it over the ten foot security fence before the helo coughed and died completely, dropping the last two feet to ground level with a jolt. It banged us around a bit but otherwise we were okay. My boys cheered as I shut everything down and we all heaved sighs of relief.

"That was close," Dudette muttered kissing some cross that he carried everywhere with him.

"Yeah it was. Now how did we end up with the wrong co-ordinates and more to the point why were we sent out to pick up a team that wasn't ready?"

"Don't know but these are the co-ordinates I was given in the briefing and here's where we were. I can double check with Baskets if you like?" Silencer showed me the confidential co-ordinates he'd been given and the map. They matched exactly.

"We'll do it during debrief. Baskets should have the same because Angel took the lead and we followed, all you did was confirm we were at the right spot."

"Is that before or after you tear intel to shreds Kaz?" Crusher asked with a grin.

"I won't have too. I reckon Angel will do it for me." I indicated the second helo touching down gently on the ground beside us. Their machine looked like swiss cheese from bullet holes.

"What's missing off this map Kaz?" Silencer asked thoughtful and I took a look over it.

"Enemy locations, but we don't always get those unless they're known before we head out, you know that."

"Yeah, but for that high a concentration of enemy? Intel should have known about it."

"Ride's here." Crusher said as he inhaled deeply on a cigarette watching two Hummer's pull up to take us back to the distant base. Angel and her team jumped into one while we took the other.

"Wow Kaz! That looks like a rusty relic rather than a helo." The First Lieutenant commented as he drove away.

"That's what happens when you go into battle without warning," I stated. "Angel's going to flip over this one."

Silencer and I continued revising co-ordinates, instructions and maps as we were taken back to the main area.

"I want to know who the idiot is that thought it was funny to send two perfectly working helo's into the enemy's nest to extract teams that weren't even there!" Angel yelled walking into TOC (Tactical Operations Command). She'd already thrown helmet and gloves viciously aside and now stood glaring at Tactical.

"Now Angel, it's not that simple," Tactical tried to placate her.

"Not that simple? Huh! Tactical, Tactical, Tactical! This isn't the first time and if I didn't know better I'd say someone came dammed close to having all of us killed! Those helos were in perfect working order and now Kaz's is useless and mine's got more mechanical troubles than a robot on speed. Now I want to know who is responsible and I want to know now so I can personally choke them to death!"

"Angel calm down."

"No I will not calm down! I don't mind risking my life to pick up the Special Forces guys but I draw the line at risking my own life and other's for a wild goose chase! I want their asses Tact and I want them now!" Angel turned scooped up her abandoned helmet and gloves, stalking back outside without a backwards glance.

I shrugged, "What she said." I turned and followed her out.

"Angel!" I called out as she strode across to the hangar where we were housed. She stopped, turned and waited. "Do you think this was another set up?"

"Probably, why?" She answered and started walking once I caught up to her.

"Well doesn't it seem strange to you, as you said to Tactical, why would someone send two perfectly good helicopters into enemy territory to pick up teams that weren't there? It just seems odd."

Angel sighed and the anger seemed to leave her almost as fast as it arrived. "You're right Kaz; I'd say our informant strikes again. I wonder if the enemy has a bounty on our heads?"

"The only way to find out for sure is to mix with the locals and ask around; maybe one of the Delta teams can fill us in?"

"They're all out in the field at present. Nope if we're going to find this out, we have to go in ourselves."

"Tactical won't like it."

"Dammed right Tactical won't like it!" Tactical's voice boomed from behind us. He'd followed and overheard every word. "I think we had better have a little chat Ladies." He shoved his unlit cigar in his mouth and stalked off without looking back.

Maddie and I shrugged, following him to the building where Intel was set up. They had a secure room we could use.

"You two have to be out of your cotton picking heads to try something so bold! If anyone in the street gets word you're American let alone soldiers it'll be lights out for the pair of you, no questions asked." Now it was Tactical's turn to be mad.

"How else are we going to find out if there's a bounty on US personnel Tact?" Angel asked.

"Why do you want to know? You know I'm not going to authorize you for anything if you don't talk to me."

Angel sighed, "Kaz and I were wondering why two perfectly good helos were sent on a wild goose chase."

"We thought there might be a bounty on us or one for capturing a US helo," I added.

"If our informant is strapped financially he may have sent us off on the chase in order to collect a reward if and when we were shot down," Angel added.

"And the only way to know that is to mix with the locals and make some discreet enquiries."

"Or he might have sent you off on a goose chase to stop you doing your work effectively," Tactical responded calmly. "I've got two Nightstalker contingent's here, you and Kaz. Everyone knows it. If you two can't fly we can't get the teams in or out which means the work stops and the Taliban wins. The local Afghan's will hate us, the ministry of defence will disown us and the results would be catastrophic for public relations. Right now Kaz's helo's useless and while your's is repairable it's questionable as to how long it's going to keep flying. Two more have been ordered and it'll take them twenty four hours to get here which means our teams are stuck out there until the replacements get here."

"That gives the enemy enough time to hunt the Delta's out if they're aware of them," Angel surmised.

"Exactly!" Tactical emphasized.

"Which means we were either deliberately shot at in the hope of disabling us so they can capture the Delta's or us," I reported in a thoughtful manner.

"But the Delta's weren't at those co-ordinates. Those co-ordinates led us straight into the enemies sights. No I don't think they want the Delta's at all, they want us," Angel spoke.

"But that would disable the Delta teams and make it easier for the Taliban to locate them. All they'd be doing is waiting at the extraction point for us to fly in and pick them up. The Delta's would have no idea that we weren't going to be there."

"Precisely and whichever way it happened it would be a win for the Taliban and whoever our informant is, gets all the glory," Angel finished my thoughts off.

"Not to mention they'd disable our army completely by taking out us and the Delta's. Our soldiers would have no way of getting information and the Taliban wins the war."

"But we screwed that up when we pulled out and limped home and that means we have to get to those two teams and get them out fast and we've only got the one helo that barely works."

"Just makes it all that more challenging Kaz."

"Question is; are they ready to go? Is there mission complete?"

"That information isn't in yet but the next rendezvous is 20 hundred tonight. We'll know more then," Tactical added.

"Which gives us enough time to sort out how we're going to do this. We can't pick up two teams plus their gear. The weight will kill us and because the helo's not functioning fully we're probably best off working to minimum weight restrictions," I added thinking out loud.

"They're going to need a different extraction point just to help throw the Taliban off their scent and we have to make sure we get the right co-ordinates right this time or we'll be sending search and rescue in to pick up body parts." Maddie joined in my thoughtful out-loud conversation.

"Tact, can we get a fresh set of co-ordinates for a different extraction point to the Delta's without going through Intel?" Angel asked. "If we go through Intel we're risking our informant knowing."

I nodded in agreeance when a thought occurred to me. "If the informant's in the teams he'll know anyway."

"Yes but if we don't give that information to our navigators until we're just about to lift off, they won't have time to alert the enemy. Tact what do you think?"

Tactical was nodding thoughtfully. "It's worth a try and my suggestion would be for you two to fly together eliminating the need to use a navigator. The less people involved the better."

"My navigational skills are a bit rusty but I'm sure it won't take very long to get back into the hang of it," I volunteered. "What about door gunners?"

"We'll take Battler and Bruiser, their accuracy is pretty impressive. Kaz how many men can we lift while adhering to minimum weight restrictions?"

"Two, maybe three at the most."

"Let's get the teams split into groups of two and spread out over a distance of say thirty kilometers. It'll mean doing four pick up runs before day break though."

"That's going to cut things very close plus we won't have the fuel for it."

"Tactical can we contact the navy and ask them to supply us with a mid-air refueller that we could use?" Maddie asked.

"I don't see why not, we've got the refueling probes on the helo's for precisely that reason."

"Now, how do we contact the Delta teams without alerting anyone, including Intel, to what we are going to do?" I asked.

"I can through their head of command. He happens to be a trusted friend of mine," Tactial replied.

"Bingo! We bring the boys home safely!" Angel laughed.

"And their mothers will be kissing us for life."

"And their mothers will be kissing us for life," Maddie seconded as we high fived each other in celebration of our plan.


	13. Chapter 13

After a couple hours sleep, food, re-fueling and general repairs, Angel's helo was back in business as I fired up the APU and ran the pre-flight checks. Darkness had fallen and we worked under NVG's which was great but could also be limiting too. Things felt a bit like we were playing some sort of video or virtual reality game.

The radio crackled to life with Tactical's instructions and I hit the engine ignition, listening to the rotors turning with their familiar thump, thump, thump.

"What do you reckon Kaz? Think we'll make it?" Angel asked pulling back on the stick and lifting us off the ground.

Manning the guns in back was Bruiser and Battler.

"Let's do it," I responded adjusting oil and hydraulic pressures accordingly.

The nose dipped in its usual breathtaking dive before we leveled out, picked up speed and started skimming treetops.

Bruiser spotted the Delta's strobe's first and we swooped in, picking up the first load. After dropping them back at base and an aerial re-fuel we were back for the rest. It was only when we picked up the last two men that tracer's started to fly.

"Hold on!" Angel yelled and started to bank the helo left and right, dodging the bullet spray of automatic weaponry.

"Hey Angel, we got one RPG left if that helps!" The Delta leader yelled over the noise.

"Talk about swatting fireflies," I muttered as the plexi-glass windshield cracked with a little hole as a stray bullet snapped its way between us into the back. We both heard one of the boys in back groan and mutter a rather indecent expletive as he was hit.

"Can we fire that thing in an enclosed space? Shit! There's another nest just got active!"

"We can if we position it right but which one's do you want it aimed at?"

"Don't know; don't care, just happy to leave them a calling card!" Angel struggled to get the helo up to maximum speed so we could get the hell out of there.

"Gotcha!" The Delta leader of team five replied and hoisted the firing tube to his shoulder, slipping the sight over his right eye.

"Block ears and get down peoples!" The RPG firing mechanism clicked and the helo was quickly filled with a deafening boom while smoke poured out making your eyes water and it near impossible to breathe.

"Thanks guys!" Angel muttered as an alarm sounded on the dash. "What's that Kaz?"

"Engine trouble; let's get out of here now!"

"Roger."

"Oh shit! The bastards have got a bird in the air!" Battler cried and let loose with a volley of automatic weapon fire.

"How the hell did that happen?"

"They knew we were coming?" I shrugged. "Let's get out of here!"

"Everyone hold on!"

We dropped to the fifty foot radar jamming height level and watched the ground fly by as we twisted, turned, banked, dropped and did everything except fly backwards to avoid the enemy. If you weren't used to it the motion made the most iron-clad of stomachs sick within seconds.

The helo shuddered a bit and three more alarms sounded. I quickly shut them down and started hitting various switches to help us stay in the air.

"Kaz, I've got no lift!" Angel suddenly yelled.

"Roger that! Helping out!" I grabbed the second lot of controls and the between the two of us we were able to extract some lift right before we almost hit the side of the mountain. It was sluggish.

"Come on Baby, hold it together, hold it together!" I cried working some switches for dumping fuel pressure. "Bloody things!" I ripped off my NVG's so I could see.

One of the Delta's handed me a red-globed pen light, it was an infra-red torch, which helped enormously.

"You owe me a drink Kaz."

"Done! Thanks Greengrass!" I responded.

"What are those lights up there Kaz?" Angel asked.

I stopped perusal and the manipulation of the instrument panel to check and compare to maps. "Should be the base!"

"Thank Christ for that."

Suddenly gunfire exploded from in front of us but the tracer's flew straight past.

"Us or them?" I yelled.

"Us!" Everyone cheered.

"The bugger behind us just turned and went home!" Bruiser stated jubilantly.

"And another successful night of stalking completed," Angel sighed with relief as she set the helo down in our makeshift landing area. "That was close."

"You can say that again." I muttered shutting things down. "I don't think I could have got anymore out of that engine, not with the punctured fuel and oil lines."

"You're kidding? What were we flying on?"

"Fuel injectors, air and good old fashioned luck."

"Kaz?"

"Yeah?"

"We all owe you a drink."

The boys in the back all laughed and agreed.

An hour later, I was one incredibly drunk Nightstalker as too was Angel. To the men we rescued we were heroes.

"Christ! Don't you two go anywhere near a naked flame will you?" Tactical waved the alcohol stained air around us when we appeared in TOC the next day. "Where'd you two get that much alcohol anyway?"

"We'll never tell," Angel grinned.

"Better for all that I don't know either. Okay, you ladies get some rack time?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"Good, good, good and not so good."

"What's not so good Tact?" Angel asked.

"We lost the C130 transport bringing two replacement birds plus another crew and their bird."

"Shit! How?" I was caught by surprise.

"Something went wrong on the flight and the plane caught on fire. All crew got out safely but the plane and the birds were lost. The navy's got some diver's and salvage crews recovering what they can in the meantime, you two are going to do a pick up run."

"When don't we?" Angel laughed.

"Knock it off Smarty," Tactical glared at her. "You are going to fly out to Enterprise and pick up two navy sea king choppers. We'll be using those until your replacements get here. When you pick up the helo's you'll have a fully armed escort back here courtesy of the navy. Two more Nightstalker contingent's have just come back from Ecuador and will be coming out to replace you. When they get here you'll return the helo's to the navy who'll then organize your ride home stateside."

"What time we leaving sir?" Angel asked.

"As soon as I give you the word. I want you and your navigators suited up, ready to fly in ten."

"Got any buckets?" I asked.

"Buckets? Dare I ask Kaz?" Tactical looked at me warily.

"Yeah Baskets and Silencer are still unconscious."

Tactical glared and rolled his eyes all at once and Angel burst into giggles. "I'll get you the buckets only use water, nothing else. I don't want them suffering third degree burns because you thought jet fuel would work better."

I grinned, "Thanks Tact."

"You are not welcome, oh and ladies?"

"Yes Tact?"

"The men on board the Enterprise are out of bounds, understand? You're to go there, get the helo's, rendezvous with the armed escort and come straight home. I don't want to hear or see any reports of you two missing whilst on board that boat understand!"

"Yes Tact!" We both gave him a smart salute and left his make shift tent office.

He shoved a cigar in his mouth and lit it, praying deeply that we had listened to his instructions.


	14. Chapter 14

Angel flew while I nursed and coaxed the helo to stay in the air until we got to the ship. It was a sigh of relief when we saw the huge carrier in the distance and even more of a relief watching the LSO's paddles wave us down onto the deck.

As we shut the helo down, our cockpit doors were opened and maintenance crew swarmed everywhere.

"Ladies! You made it!" One guy called as he stuck his head in as we undid the straps holding us in. "We had bets on that you wouldn't; you were trailing so much smoke."

"It helps to have your mechanic on board," Angel smiled sweetly. "Hey Silencer! Baskets! Wake up!"

Our two wet hung-over navigators stirred, having slept most of the way, and slowly climbed down onto the deck. Both were quiet and looking very green.

Angel snickered, "You two should drink more often."

"No, we shouldn't get into drinking competitions with you." Baskets retorted. "What have you got on you anyway to soak it all up with? You're only a skinny little thing."

"It's called muscle-"

"Excuse me Colonel Harris and Colonel James?" The ships young Public Affairs Officer extended his hand to Silencer and Baskets.

Both of whom stood back looking amused.

"You got the wrong people," Silencer stated. "That's Colonel Harris and that's Colonel James."

The officer turned in the appointed direction and did a double-take. For a full two minutes he couldn't say a word except, "You're women sir."

"Yes Ensign we are indeed women. You got a problem with that?" Angel stepped forward and was almost toe to toe from him. She loved intimidation.

"Um no not at all Sir, sorry Ma'am."

"Good, now if you would kindly take us to the CAG we'll pick up our armed escort."

"Yes Ma'am, right away Ma'am. Ummm follow me."

Angel suppressed a giggle as she and the two men followed the young Ensign towards what was called the island. It was the communications tower, Ships Bridge and everything else required to run the carrier.

"Kaz!" Angel yelled but I didn't hear her. I was too busy exchanging suggestive looks with a pilot running a pre-flight check and obviously about to fly. "Kaz!" Angel yelled again and gave me a nudge.

"What?" I snapped back to reality and blew the pilot a kiss.

"Hey we told Tact we wouldn't go AWOL on board."

"I'm not going AWOL I'm promising a flyboy that all his dreams might come true today or tonight."

"Yeah you're getting ready to go AWOL. Now let's go."

I sighed, "Yes Ma'am and since when did you worry about obeying Tact's orders?"

"I don't but now is not the time."

I followed her through the hatch and inside where the rest of our small group stood waiting.

The young ensign led the way up and down ladders and along corridors until we reached a ready room. Inside was the CAG whose men would be flying escort service for the borrowed helos.

"Ladies come in; have a seat, would you like some coffee?" The CAG turned to the makeshift coffee bar on a sideboard. The ready room was busy with aviators and RIO's coming and going.

"Thank you Sir," Angel accepted on behalf of us and we took two of the leather seats in the small but ample ready room.

"I see your helo's been through a bit of batter?"

"Nothing that a good roll of duck tape won't fix," I added.

"Yes, I have heard of the red-headed Nightstalker for a fascination with all things mechanical. If it won't fly she'll dammed well kick it into the air." The CAG laughed with what displayed an overly healthy sense of humor.

"My reputation does me justice for a change."

"Amongst other things." He gave me quite a leerish stare which I returned without batting an eye. "I hope our Sea Kings won't be coming back to us in the same condition?"

"Only if they behave Sir, only if they behave," I replied much to Angel's amusement.

"Sir, we'd love to sit here and joke about Kaz's attraction to machinery and other things but our superior does have us on a rather tight turn around schedule. If we could just meet with the pilots who will be escorting us back, we'll be on our way."

"Sorry Colonel no can do at this moment in time. You see, most of my boys are up practicing air-intercept maneuvers for when the Iraqi's decide they want us out of here. Now due to the sensitive and rather desperateness of the situation I have ordered the two best pilots in America to come out and do the escort duty. As of fifteen minutes ago, they hit real bad weather and have had to divert which delays them a further four hours, enough time for us to get acquainted wouldn't you think?" He looked straight at me and winked. I think I was more amused at the fact a man in his late thirties was hitting on me than I was by the fact that it was the CAG that was hitting on me.

Angel shifted ever so slightly in her chair and I glanced at her. Immediately her left eye twitched as she lowered her gaze. Instantly I looked at the CAG's left hand and sure enough he fidgeted with the ring finger. When he stopped fidgeting the tell tale ring of white showed. He was married and I did not touch married men.

"If its one thing I enjoy is hearing about the families these men leave behind." I said settling more comfortably in the chair. From the corner of my eye I could see Angel stifle a giggle but the CAG never battered an eye. Obviously he cheated on his wife quite regularly and most likely had a girl in every port.

"So what are we expected to do in the meantime Sir?" Angel asked carefully.

"Whatever you like. There's a ward room down the corridor set up with food, drink and a pool table. You're welcome to relax in there until we know more. I'll have someone come and get you as soon as the escorts have arrived."

"Thank you Sir, it's appreciated," Angel stood and shook the CAG's hand obviously not wanting to spend any further time in his company.

"No problems, I'll have Flash here take you down to the ward room and also show you where you can freshen up. Flash?" A uniformed Lieutenant wearing both pilots and navigator's wings turned.

"Sir?"

"Take these two lovely ladies down to the ward room and show them where they can freshen up."

"Aye aye Sir." He snapped his CO a smart salute and about faced.

"Don't you just love navy protocol?" I whispered in a muffled giggle to Angel.

"Oh yeah! It turns me right on." We laughed some more earning an interested look from Flash.

"Do they call you Flash because it's all over in a blink of an eye?" Angel asked cheekily which earn't a us a smile from the Lieutenant leading us down the corridor.

"For the enemy yes for the ladies, I suggest you wait and find out. My last name's Flashington, it's been shortened to Flash."

"Figures, the navy are pretty famous for being very un-imaginative," Angel laughed and even Flash smiled his agreement.

"Ladies, the ward room is on your left and the facilities are behind the third door on the right. If you're familiar with aircraft carriers you'll know there's only room for one at a time. Please don't drink the water on board as it can be contaminated with jet fuel."

"Thanks for the warning Lieutenant." Angel replied.

"No problems Ma'am, I'll leave you to it." He gave us a salute and walked back down the corridor to the ready room.

"Shall we?" Angel indicated the room.

"Yeah a game of pool sounds good. I can pretend it's the CAG's head. Hey what did they do with Silencer and Baskets?"

"I don't know, I thought they were right behind us when we met with the CAG."

"Obviously not anymore, think we should look for them?"

"Nah they've probably found a spot where they can get some sleep and get over the hangover's the wouser's."


	15. Chapter 15

Its one thing Angel and I were good at aside from flying helos and sassing men it was playing pool. Me with my navigational skills and her with her sharp eyes, we basically cleaned up each and every time. Our own flight teams knew not to play against us either singularly or together. When ever the eight of us did occupy a pool table all at once, Angel and I usually guided the boys on good or bad shots, mood depending. If we were pissed off or feeling crabby with one of them they usually lost. If we were drunk it was a mixture and if we were feeling charitable it was top notch advice.

"So how you ladies doing?" CAG asked strolling into the room an hour and a half later.

The room was small with tables and chairs up one end, a cabinet along one wall which held light food and coffee making facilities, TV and a couple of lounges and the pool table.

"Fine thanks sir," Angel replied watching me line up my shot.

She noticed the CAG move around and stand right behind me, arm on either side as I bent low over the table, sighting the ball. "Nice and I aren't talking about what's on the table either." He whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"No only what's under it." I replied drawing my arm back fast which he neatly side stepped. I took the shot and scored, Angel looked impressed.

"Nice going there Kaz."

"Yeah I thought so. There's only a couple of shots left if you want to finish up, I feel like some air."

CAG's hand was massaging my ass and I was grateful for the flight suit as it prevented fingers slipping into places they shouldn't. Still my devious mind was hard at work and a plan formulated quickly. I was going to hang the CAG out to dry.

"You know Colonel; we've just received word that your escort pilots will be landing in approximately fifteen minutes. How would you like to go and watch them land? It's quite a nice sight watching our aircraft land at night." His eyes were intent on mine and a hand slid slowly up and down my forearm.

"Sure why not? I've never seen an aircraft carrier working at night. We never get to stay on them long enough." Angel bit her lip to stop from laughing out loud. We'd been on plenty of aircraft carriers for days on end and knew all about them. "Isn't there some place off the island called vulture's row where you can get a really good view of the flight deck?"

"Yes there is and I'll be happy to show it to you. It's pretty deserted at night so we'll have the place all to ourselves."

"How nice," I answered demurely and Angel rolled her eyes.

She knew what I was up too and gave me the thumbs up as I followed the CAG out into the corridor. I passed Baskets and Silencer on the way and nodded to them but stayed focused on the CAG and what he was saying. They gave me a quizzical look but didn't ask. To them Kaz was on a mission and the ironic thing was, they didn't know how right they were.

We got outside onto a small platform that overlooked the flight deck and all its activity. A cold breeze blew and I shivered dramatically.

"Oh hey, you're cold, let me warm you up," CAG said as he pulled me in close. "Now this is much better."

"Yes it is," I answered looking at him and suggestively licking my lips. "But you didn't bring me out here just to look at lights did you?"

He laughed slightly nervous, "I can't lie, I thought this was a good place for us to be alone and away from prying eyes." His fingers stroked the side of my neck.

"Mmmmmmmmmm," I murmured closing my eyes and turning my head to kiss the palm of his hand.

I felt his hand slide into my hair and hold my head still as he dipped his head and kissed me, his mustache tickling my lip. His lips were insistent on mine and I didn't hesitate opening my mouth, granting his tongue access. As the kiss mounted I could feel him rise against me. My hands slid down to his uniform belt and with deft fingers I undid the buckle and slid it out of his pants.

I broke the kiss. "Ever had a blow job with your hands tied behind your back?" I asked unzipping the front of my flight suit and granting him some access.

"Can't say I've tried that one before, no."

"Ah well then you don't know what you're missing. Normally I do this with handcuffs but I don't have them on me right now."

"Use the belt," His voice was raspy as he assaulted my neck at the same time as he prised my T-Shirt up and managed to get his hand up inside. "Dammed flight suits," He muttered thrusting against me.

I giggled as I pulled away, took hold of his hands and secured them to the rail behind with his belt. Maintaining eye contact the entire time I pushed his trousers and pants down around his ankles revealing all his natural glory and the tackle box standing rigidly to attention. The darn thing was practically saluting me! I touched. I teased. I stroked. Finally I dropped down, gave it a kiss and walked away.

"Hey! Where are you going? HEY!" The CAG literally screamed as I opened the hatch and went back inside without looking back. I also locked the hatch from the inside so if he did manage to get free, he couldn't get back in unless someone let him. _'Oh this was turning out to be a great adventure and I hadn't even disobeyed orders yet!'_

We'd already left the ship when the CAG was found the next day and rumors' flew about how he'd been hung out to dry quite literally. No one found him until the early hours of the next morning. The whole ship thought it was hilarious. To make matters worse I drew a small caricature of a helicopter holding a tennis racquet and belting an F14 to smithereens. The caption, 'Nightstalkers will beat the Navy every time' said it all. I left it in his ready room as a going away present.

For some reason, Angel, Baskets and Silencer couldn't stop laughing the whole trip back to our operational base. Our escorting pilots had landed about two hours after I'd left the CAG.

The ships XO, upon not being able to find the CAG, took us to meet them and make arrangements to head back to camp.

That was when I found myself face to face yet again with my old friend Maverick, and his partner in crime, Lee.

'_Shoot! I think I might have to learn how to swim.'_ Lee wasn't looking to happy especially when he saw me. His first three words said it all.

"Where's my car?"

Whatever happened to hello?


End file.
